The University of Denver women’s golf team is starting to reach peak form, which can mean just one thing: It must be NCAA tournament time.
The Pioneers, who have finished sixth and fifth the last two years in the national finals, will try to continue that trend next month. On Monday, DU was seeded sixth for the 24-team NCAA Central Regional tournament, which will take place May 6-8 in Columbus, Ind. Meanwhile, the Colorado State women’s team earned a 20th seed in the West Regional that will take place the same dates in Stanford, Calif.
Overall, 72 Division I teams qualified for the NCAAs and have been divided into three regionals. The top eight schools from each regional will advance to the NCAA Championship Finals, which will be contested May 18-21 in Wilmington, N.C.
If the past couple of years are any indication, DU will play its best golf when it matters most. Two seasons ago, the Pioneers posted two wins, a second and a third in their last six tournaments. Last year, DU recorded three victories in its last five events, including a title in the NCAA East Regional. And this time around, Denver goes into the post-season after winning its seventh consecutive Sun Belt Conference championship.
Overall, DU has two team victories this season while playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation. Depending on the poll, the Pioneers are currently ranked 16th or 17th in the nation. It will be their ninth straight regional appearance.
Two DU golfers — senior Stephanie Sherlock and freshman Kimberly Kim (pictured) — have scored individual wins this season and are considered two of the top 50 collegians in the country.
Sherlock won the season-opening Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate in Highlands Ranch and has seven victories for her college career. Though Sherlock’s final season at DU hasn’t been her best, she’s proved herself in the last two NCAA finals, where she placed fifth and 11h, respectively.
As for Kim, the 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, she’s coming off the first individual victory of her career as she claimed the Sun Belt Conference title. The freshman leads DU in stroke average with a 73.39 norm for the season.
Like the Pioneers, Colorado State appears to be peaking at the right time. The Rams have finished fourth, first, third and third in their last four tournaments, including a third-place showing at the Mountain West Conference Championships. Senior Kasey Claussen, an all-MWC pick for the second straight year, leads the way for the Rams, who qualified for the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2005.
“This team stepped it up a notch at the right time,” coach Angie Hopkins said. “I am so excited for the team and this program. We have been on the bubble the last two years and finally we are in. Qualifying for postseason play has been a goal of ours and an especially big goal for our seniors (Claussen and Natalie Stone). They have been the driving force behind this.”
